1970 Plymouth 'Cuda 440+6

I'm bored and I'm angry and I feel like I should start a new project before I go totally bonkers with the way the world has been turning! This 'Cuda kit had two shaker hoods and scoops and two sets of leaf springs so a call went out to Revell for replacement parts since they screwed up the kit. I got everything I needed from Revell except for the incorrect hood. They sent me another shaker hood and scoop. Then everything went bad for Revell as they were sold to a German investment group and I had no recourse, but to build this 'Cuda with a hood I didn't want.
Then, my friend Paul stepped forward and said he had the same kit. He used the Hemi engine for another project and he offered me the dual scoop hood since this was basically a parts kit now. I robbed his kit of the hood and said thank you very much and he felt a little disappointed that I didn't take anymore from it. Sorry Paul, all I wanted was the dual scoop hood! Again, thank you very much for the hood!
I'm starting this '70 Plymouth 'Cuda with a 440+6 cobbled together from a left over 440 CID from the Revell '69 Dart 340 I made with a 6 barrel carb and intake manifold from the AMT '70 Super Bee from years ago. My paint will be Testors Hemi Orange aka Tor-red with a black interior. Magnum 500 wheels from the Revell '70 Charger R/T kit with AMT White Lettered pad printed tires.



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I have been working on the 'Cuda today. I got the engine painted with Mopar Street Hemi Orange Engine Enamel and I need to drill out the heads for plug wires. The engine will be headed to the dehumidifier shortly for the next 8 hours. I've been told that I am a brave man for drilling into painted plastic. Thank you! Everything else got a coat of Tamiya Fine Surface Primer. I found more mold lines along the tops of the rear fenders. I'll take care of those shortly.



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I started working on the 440+6 engine yesterday. I added the valve covers, carbs and fan belt assembly. The alternator and bracketry and air cleaner are being dechromed right now. I have one MAD Mopar distributor left and I'll use it on this engine. I am finding out about the shortcomings of using parts from various sources, but I am working through it.



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It's a nice kit, I have one in the stash. It's probably the only one in the country.

There was uproar on MCM about the rear wheel arches I seem to remember. Storm in a teacup really.

Nice start!

Thanks dublin boy! The front and rear fender lips flare out more than they should, but I'm not paying any attention to them. For me, it is not an issue. There are a couple of small issues with the kit and I chose to ignore them since I don't think they are worth the trouble.

Paint was flyin' this morning! Model Master Hemi Orange aka Tor-red! You can also see the metallic content in this paint. Looks pretty good!



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I finally found my decals! I kept avoiding a rolled up plastic bag since I thought it had tires in it. I opened the bag and there were my decals that I had set aside long ago. Now I can decal the body!



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Looking good there mike.

Thanks Kpnuts!

I added a couple of decals for the engine size to the hood. I found a 6-barrel carb setup and used that instead since it is much more detailed. I painted the air cleaner and added the decal to it. I broke the decal as I tried to position it on the air cleaner.



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Looks good

Thanks Dirk! I got to move onto Bare Metal Foil on the body and then decals aka the hockey stick stripes.

Instead of BMF and decals, I finished the engine.  I think the +6 Barrel Carbs came from the AMT '71 Duster 340 kit, but I am not 100% sure though.  They do look far better than the carbs that I had on there before.  Plus, I added the plug boots to the MAD Resin distributor, installed the distributor and wired the engine.



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I spent some time working on the 'Cuda today. I started by painting the grille with Tamiya TS-42 Light Gun Metal followed by using Tamiya Black Panel Liner on the upper vents and Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black on the grille bars. Then I did a mockup of the body, hood, interior, chassis and the engine to see if it would all fit...and it does! I was worried that it wouldn't. I have a picture on my laptop of a Tor-red '70 'Cuda 440 with a brown interior. I like it so much that I will paint my interior that color with black accents.



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alike, WOWZERS! That motor is top notch

Thanks Dirk! I'm just so happy that the enire engine fits under the hood!

I was going to paint the interior today and I might later if I have time. I wanted an automatic transmission for this 'Cuda, but I needed to make a shifter plate for the console. I used two pieces of .020 thick styrene cut to 9/16ths by 5/16ths and glued together, which happens to be the size of the opening in the console. I used two strips of .010 by .030 styrene to define the shifter slot and I drilled a hole for the shift lever.



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I painted the Magnum 500 wheels for the 'Cuda. I have always hated to paint these wheels for one reason or the other, but they are done! I had noticed that the printed licensing molding for Chrysler was still on the chassis after I had painted them. I usually for get to paint the side mirrors and I made sure that I did that, but I forgot about the molded licensing marks on the chassis. I removed the moldings and repainted the primer. The engine didn't seem to fit correctly in the chassis since the motor mount was hitting the oil filter mount. I removed a little of the motor mount and the engine slid back where it should.



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Its coming along nicely

Thanks Dirk! Unfortunately, I've been slacking off too much. I've got to get these builds finished.

Now that the rain has gone by, I decided to paint the interior, suspension parts and the exhaust system on the 'Cuda. Now to let this dry, detail, assemble and do some touchups.



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More work done on the 'Cuda today. The chassis is almost complete and up on 4 wheels! I still need to add the front shocks, battery, radiator hoses and exhaust extensions. Do any touchups that are needed. The first picture is with the interior floor plate which also has the firewall and engine bay side panels. The second picture is without the interior floor plate.



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I couldn't resist the urge to do a mockup of the 'Cuda 440+6. I'm lovin' it!



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I finished the interior with an automatic shifter on the console and a "Tuff"-like steering wheel on the column.



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That's looking great

Thanks kpnuts!

I haven't been working on this model for some time now and I decide that I have to finish it and get it off the bench.  I finished the grille by adding the headlights and turn signals.  I added the decals to the body after I clearcoated the body.  I need to cleanup the stripes where they broke and clearcoat the body again.



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I touched up the decals where they broke and then I clearcoated the body with Testors Ultra Gloss Clearcoat. Since I used the chrome bumpers on my previous 383 'Cuda, I opted for the body colored bumpers for this 'Cuda just to be different.



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I think I am assembling this 'Cuda in the wrong order as it is fighting me.  My fumble fingers have lost both of the driving light lenses, but I was able to find some replacements in the parts box.  They are not exact, but they'll do.  



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